Kingsport and Tennessee
Animal Control Ordinances

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Highlights of the Kingsport City Code

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 Sec. 14-3.     City designated bird sanctuary.  
  The entire area within the city is designated a bird sanctuary.
  (Code 1981, § 5-2)  
 
 Sec. 14-6.     Running at large.  
  It shall be unlawful for any person to suffer or permit any animal he 
  owns or that is under his care, custody or control to run at large; 
  provided, however, that dogs are subject to section 14-36.
  (Code 1981, § 5-5)  
 
 Sec. 14-7.     Cruelty.  
   A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly:
     (1) Tortures, maims or grossly overworks an animal;
     (2) Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care 
           or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
     (3) Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner; or
     (4) Inflicts burns, cuts, lacerations or other injuries or pain, 
           by any method ...
     (Code 1981, § 5-6)  
     State law reference(s)--Similar provisions, T.C.A. § 39-14-202(a)--(e)(2).  

 Sec. 14-8.     Abandonment.  
   It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon or otherwise leave 
   any animal so as to desert, forsake or intentionally give up the animal 
   without securing another owner or without providing for the feeding, 
   shelter and humane care of such animal.
   (Code 1981, § 5-7)  

 Sec. 14-11.     Licensing of dogs and cats.  
   (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess or harbor a 
       dog over three months of age or a cat over six months of age unless 
       such dog or cat is licensed as provided in this section.
   (b) Application for a license shall be made to the city treasurer. 
       The application shall include the name and address of the applicant, 
       a description of the animal, the applicable fee and a current rabies 
       certificate as provided in section 14-68. A special license fee 
       shall be required for a person operating a kennel. The license 
       shall expire annually on October 31.
   (c) The application for a license must be made within 30 days after 
       obtaining a dog over three months of age or a cat over six months 
       of age. However, this subsection shall not apply to a nonresident 
       keeping a dog or cat within the city for no longer than 60 days.
    .
   (e) Every dog and cat must wear the license tag at all times... 
   (Code 1981, § 5-10)  

 Sec. 14-36.     Running at large.  
   It shall be unlawful for any person owning, possessing or harboring a 
   dog to permit it to run at large at any place except on the premises 
   of such person. However, a dog shall not be deemed running at large 
   if accompanied by a person actually in control of such dog by a leash.
   (Code 1981, § 5-20)  
 
 Sec. 14-37.     Vicious dogs.  
   It shall be unlawful for any person to keep a vicious dog, unless it 
   is kept securely confined upon its own premises. A vicious dog shall 
   be deemed as one that has previously bitten a person or another animal 
   or that is subject to fits of rage during which it may attack, bite or 
   jump on a person or other animal in such a manner as to cause physical 
   harm.
   (Code 1981, § 5-21)  
 
 Sec. 14-38.     Number restricted.  
   Except as permitted in chapter 114 for kennels, it shall be unlawful 
   for any person to keep over five canines over 12 months of age on any 
   premises. For the purpose of this section, the head of the household 
   shall be responsible for any violation of this section.
   (Code 1981, § 5-22)  

 Sec. 14-66.     Inoculation required.  
   It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog or cat that does not 
   have the rabies inoculation required by state law.
   (Code 1981, § 5-35)  
   State law reference(s)--Inoculations required, T.C.A. §§ 68-8-102, 68-8-104.  
 
 Sec. 14-67.     Inoculation tag.  
   Each person who owns or has a dog or cat under his control shall, 
   upon the inoculation of such dog or cat, procure a metal tag from the 
   veterinarian, which tag shall show the inoculation number of the dog or 
   cat and the year in which the inoculation is given. The owner shall 
   keep the tag attached to a collar and kept on the dog or cat at all times.
   (Code 1981, § 5-36)  
 
Sec. 14-68.     Certificate of inoculation.  
   Each person owning or controlling an inoculated dog or cat shall keep 
   its current certificate of inoculation and shall present such 
   certificate when requested by properly authorized officers.
   (Code 1981, § 5-37)  

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COMPLETE CITY ANIMAL ORDINANCE I Kingsport Code

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Some Highlights of the Tennessee Code

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39-14-203. Cock and animal fighting.


(a)  It is unlawful for any person to:
 
(1) Own, possess, keep, use or train any bull, bear, dog, cock or other animal, 
for the purpose of fighting, baiting or injuring another such
 animal, for amusement, sport or gain;
 
(2) Cause, for amusement, sport or gain, any such animal to fight, bait
or injure another animal, or each other;
 
(3) Permit any such acts stated in subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) to be
done on any premises under the person's charge or control, or aid or
abet such act; or
 
(4) Be knowingly present, as a spectator, at any place or building 
where preparations are being made for an exhibition for such fighting,
baiting or injuring of any animal, with the intent to be present at 
such exhibition, fighting, baiting or injuring.

(b)  It is the legislative intent that the provisions of this section
shall not apply to the training or use of hunting dogs for sport or 
to the training or use of dogs for law enforcement purposes.

(c) (1)  Except for any offense involving a cock, an offense under 
subdivisions (a)(1)-(3) is a Class E felony.
   
(2) An offense involving a cock under subdivisions (a)(1)-(3) is a
Class A misdemeanor.
  
(d)  An offense under subdivision (a)(4) is a Class C misdemeanor.
  
(e)  It is not an offense to own, possess or keep cocks, or aid or
 abet the ownership, possession or   keeping of cocks, for the sole
purpose of selling or transporting such cocks to a location in 
which possession or keeping of such cocks is legal.




44-8-408. Dogs not allowed at large - Exception.
Statute text 


 (a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “owner” means a person who, at
 the time of the offense, regularly harbors, keeps or exercises control over the dog, but does not
 include a person who, at the time of the offense, is temporarily harboring, keeping or exercising
 control over the dog.
  
 (b) The owner of a dog commits an offense if that dog goes uncontrolled by the owner upon the
 premises of another without the consent of the owner of the premises or other person authorized to
 give consent, or goes uncontrolled by the owner upon a highway, public road, street or any other
 place open to the public generally.
  
 (c) It is an exception to the application of this section that:
      (1)  The dog was on a hunt or chase;
      (2)  The dog was on the way to or from a hunt or chase;
      (3)  The dog was guarding or driving stock or on the way to guard or drive stock;
      (4)  The dog was being moved from one place to another by the owner of the dog;
      (5)  The dog is a police or military dog, the injury occurred during the course of the dog's
      official duties and the person injured was a party to, a participant in or suspected of being a
      party to or participant in the act or conduct that prompted the police or military to utilize
      the services of the dog;
      (6)  The violation of subsection (b) occurred while the injured person was on the private
      property of the dog's owner with the intent to engage in unlawful activity while on the property;
      (7)  The violation of subsection (b) occurred while the dog was protecting the dog's owner
      or other innocent party from attack by the injured person or an animal owned by the injured person;
      (8)  The violation of subsection (b) occurred while the dog was securely confined in a kennel,
      crate or other enclosure; or
      (9)  The violation of subsection (b) occurred as a result of the injured person disturbing,
      harassing, assaulting or otherwise provoking the dog.

 (d)  The exception to the application of this section provided in subdivisions (c)(1)-(4) shall not
 apply unless the owner in violation of subsection (b) pays or tenders payment for all damages caused
 by the dog to the injured party within thirty (30) days of the damage being caused.
 
 (e)  It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of subsection (b) and punished pursuant to
 subdivision (g)(1), (g)(2) or (g)(3) that the dog owner exercised reasonable care in attempting to
 confine or control the dog.
 
 (f)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for a violation of subsection (b) and punished
 pursuant to subdivision (g)(4) or (g)(5) that the dog owner exercised reasonable care in attempting
 to confine or control the dog.
 
 (g)  (1)  A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by fine only ($50).
      (2)  A violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by fine only if the dog
      running at large causes damage to the property of another ($500).
      (3)  A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by fine only if the dog
      running at large causes bodily injury, as defined by § 39-11-106, to another ($2500).
      (4)  A violation of this section is a Class E felony if the dog running at large causes serious
      bodily injury, as defined by § 39-11-106, to another.
      (5)  A violation of this section is a Class D felony if the dog running at large causes the
      death of another.
  
    --- see TN Code for More details ---
 Acts 1901, ch. 50, § 1; 1903, ch. 419, § 1; Shan., § 2853a4; Code 1932, § 5086; T.C.A. (orig. ed.),
 §§ 44-1408, 44-8-108; Acts 2007, ch. 533, § 1; 2007, ch. 556, § 1.] 

44-8-413. Civil liability for injury caused by dogs. —
 (a)  (1)  The owner of a dog has a duty to keep that dog under reasonable control at all times, and
 to keep that dog from running at large. A person who breaches that duty is subject to civil liability
 for any damages suffered by a person who is injured by the dog while in a public place or lawfully
 in or on the private property of another.
      (2)  The owner may be held liable regardless of whether the dog has shown any dangerous
 propensities or whether the dog's owner knew or should have known of the dog's dangerous propensities.

28-3-104. Personal tort actions. —
 (a)  The following actions shall be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrued:

    --- see TN Code for More details ---
 
 


68-8-109. Seizure of dogs running at large - Redemption by owner.


(a)  Any dog found running at large may be seized by the proper health
 officers or by any peace officer  and placed in a dog pound in counties
or cities where a dog pound is available.

(b) (1)  If the dog is wearing a tag, the owner shall be notified by a
 postcard addressed to the owner's last-known mailing address to appear
within five (5) days and redeem the owner's dog by paying a pound fee
 of one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50), or the dog will be destroyed.

(2) If the dog is not wearing a tag, the dog shall be destroyed,
unless legally claimed by the owner within two (2) days.

(c)  No dog shall be released in any event from a pound unless and 
until it has been vaccinated and a tag placed on its collar.
  

[Acts 1953, ch. 252, § 9 (Williams, § 5109.28); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 53-909.]

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Complete Tennessee Code
Dog Bite Law
Animal Laws of Tennessee